He cherished life and abhorred death.(貪生惡死)
He was China's most outstanding historian.
He and his father both served as officials in the central government,
responsible for recording history. While this position was not particularly
high-ranking or well-paid, it was highly respected.
His Records of the Grand Historian is
China's most classic historical work.
In his youth, he travelled throughout China
conducting detailed fieldwork.
In middle age, based on the materials he
had collected, he began to compile Chinese history from 2700 BC to 100 BC.
In 99 BC, an event occurred that profoundly
impacted his life.
A Han Dynasty general named Li Ling was
defeated and captured in a battle against the Xiongnu.
The Han king and his ministers considered
Li Ling's actions to be treasonous, but Sima Qian offered a different
perspective. He addressed the king and his ministers, saying that... He
explained that Li Ling's defeat was due to the fact that the Han army was far
outnumbered by the Xiongnu army. Li Ling had feigned surrender; if he had had
the opportunity, he would certainly have tried to escape back to the Han
Dynasty.
The Han emperor was angered by Sima Qian's
words and sentenced him to a punishment that was utterly degrading to male
dignity: castration.
Upon hearing this verdict, Sima Qian was
unable to accept the humiliation and contemplated suicide.
However, thinking of his father and his
unfinished book, he ultimately chose to accept the punishment bravely.
He wrote a letter to a close friend named
Ren An, describing his inner struggle before and after the execution.
We are all the same: we cherish life and
abhor death, and we care for our parents and love our spouses and children.
However, when faced with crucial choices
regarding justice and morality, some people ultimately choose to sacrifice
their lives and leave their beloved families behind in order to realise their
most cherished values.
This is why I chose to live after enduring
such humiliating torture.
The idiom literally translates as 'He
cherished life and abhorred death'.
Dear friend, what inspiration or insights
have you gained from this story?
Would you be willing to sacrifice your life
for your ideals? What is the most important value in your life?
I hope this story gives you some new
insights.
貪生惡死(He cherished life and abhorred death.)
司馬遷是中國最傑出的歷史學家。他的父親與他都在中央政府內擔任負責記錄歷史的官員，這個工作沒有非常高的地位與非常好的薪水，但是這是一個非常令人尊敬的職位。
。
他寫的史記是中國最經典的歷史書。
他在青年時代走遍了全中國，進行詳細的田野調查。
他在中年之後根據所蒐集的材料，開始整理中國從公元前2700年到公元前100年間的中國歷史。
西元前99年，發生了一件對他的生命影響巨大的事情。
漢王朝有一個名字叫做李陵的將軍，他在一場與匈奴王國的戰役中被打敗後被俘虜。
漢王朝的國王與其他的大臣們認為李陵的行為屬於叛變，司馬遷卻是提出不同的觀點，司馬遷對國王與其他的大臣們說。
李陵會打敗仗是因為這場戰役中漢王朝的軍隊人數遠遠少於匈奴王國的軍隊人數，李陵只是假裝投降，只要有機會，李陵一定會想辦法逃回到漢王朝。
司馬遷的話惹怒了漢王朝的國王，他被判處一個極度損害男性尊嚴的刑罰，他被判處宮刑。
司馬遷聽到這個判決之後，他的內心無法接受這種屈辱，他想要自殺。
但是他想到他的父親，他想到自己尚未完成的這本書，他最後選擇勇敢接受這個刑罰。
他曾經寫信給他的一個名字叫做(任安)的好朋友，他在這封信中描繪了他被刑罰前後的內心掙扎。
我們每個人都一樣，我們每個人都貪戀生命並且厭惡死亡，我們每個人都關心我們的父母並且愛著我們的妻子與兒女。
但是有些人，他們在面臨一些有關於正義與道德的重大選擇時，他們最終會為了實現自己內心的價值，選擇犧牲自己的生命與離開自己所愛家人們。
這就是為何我在接受這個令人無比屈辱的刑罰後還選擇活下來的原因。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是貪戀生命並且厭惡死亡。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的啟發或有怎樣的想法呢。
你願意為了自己的理想犧牲自己的生命嗎?你的生命中的最重要的價值為何呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為司馬遷-報任少卿書
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E5%A0%B1%E4%BB%BB%E5%B0%91%E5%8D%BF%E6%9B%B8